Slub catcher



Jan. 20, 1953 s. L. ABBOTT 2,625,732

I SLUB CATCHER Filed NOV. 19, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Jan. 20, 1953 s. L. ABBOTT 2,625,732

SLUB CATCHER Filed NOV. 19, 1948 2 SHEETS-I-SI-IEET 2 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE S'LUB CATCHER Samuel L. Abbott, Wilton, N. H.

Application November 19, 19%8, Serial No. 69,847

12 Qlaims. (Cl. 2864) This. invention relates to slubvcatchers and has ior its principal object to provide a reliable, simple and easily cleaned slub-catcher capable of distinguishing between unobjectionable enlarge.- ments of short length, such as knots and nibs, on the one hand, and longer enlargements such as slubs exceeding a minimum length, on the other hand- The invention constitutes an improvement upon the type of device that deflects the thread laterally when an enlargement is encountered and provides an enlargement-detecting means which is ineffective upon the thread in the normal path of thread travel but adapted to act on thread so, deflected. By the, enlargement-detecting means being spaced in advance of the thread-deflecting means, a short unobjectionable enlargement, although deflected from the normal path, can still pass without encountering the enlargement-detecting means, whereas a long bjectionable enlargement does encounter the enlargement-detecting meansv and is accordingly detected and breakage of the thread is induced. An advantage of the s lub catcher of this inventiOn, resides in its ability to distinguish finely between the normal thread itself and the longer enlargements which it is desired to remove from the thread and reliably to induce breakage when such an enlargement is encountered, without however injuring the normal thread when such enlargement is not encountered.

Other objects of the invention and advantageous features will be apparent from this specification and its drawings in which the invention is further explained by the description of the preferred form thereof.

In the drawings:

Figis a ro ele at on oithe he q on of one of the traveling winding units of a traveling spindle winding machine, omitting some of its parts, and showing the winding unit as equipped with a slub-catcher of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section. taken on the line 3'-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the portions of the blades of the slub-catcher through which the thread runs, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and Q a ea l n ar ed l Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 57-5 of Fig. 2 through the slots of the slubcatcher and also axially. through a springpr'essed plunger adapted to clean the slubcatcher;

Figs. 6 6 and 6 are fragmentary vertical sectional views through the slots of the slub-catcher, similar to Fig. 5, showing successive positions of the thread as a short enlargement such as a nib or knot is encountered; and

Figs. 7 7 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 6 6 and 6 showing successive positions of the thread as a slub is encountered.

Although of general applicability in the textile industry, the slob-catcher of the present inven tion will be illustrated by way of example as applied to a traveling spindle winding machine such for instance as the automatic winding machine of copending application Serial No. 26,329, filed May 11, 1948, comprising a large number of traveling winding units such as shown in Fig. 8 of that application, adapted to wind yarn or thread during their travel in a closed path around the machine.

The head portion l0 and upright portion ll of such a winding unit and upper rail 20 of the track of such a machine are shown in Fig. 1 of this specification, it being understood that the winding unit travels along the track 20 from right to left.

As shown in Fig. l, yarn or thread indicated at T, coming from a suitable supply bobbin on the lower portion of the traveling winding unit, runs upwardly and in contact with the outer faces of yarn guide blocks 2| and 22 which extend outwardly from an apron plate 24 at the head of the winding unit, and thence to a reciprocating thread guide 25 and onto the winding yarn or thread package P which is rotated by frictional contact with a drive roll 26.

A pair of guide rods 21, 28 are secured to both of the guide blocks 2| and 22 (these guide rods being broken away in Fig. l), and lie closely adjacent to each other at guide blocks 2| and 2 2 so as to center the yarn in its vertical path from the lower guide block 2| to the upper guide block 22. Between the guide blocks 2| and 22 the thread may be acted on by any suitable tension device, for instance a pair of yieldingly opposed disks or plates 30, 3|. A hook-like member 35 may be provided below the lower guide block 2| to retain the thread close to the lower guide block.

The slub-catcher of the present invention is preferably located to act on the centered vertical run of thread between the guide blocks 2| and 2 2.

The preferred form of slubrcatcher' includes two blocks (ill, 4| which abut at their thicker left p ns nd Wh q a he r 'il iin r i t b tions have opposed surfaces whichtogetlier define e sev ral emanatin slots P a countered by the thread '1.

At their thicker left portions where the blocks 43, 4! abut, the blocks 40, 4! are hollowed out to receive a plunger as subsequently described, and are secured to the upper flange of an angle bracket 43 which in turn is mounted on the apron plate 24.

By the angle bracket 43 being inclined as shown in Fig. 1 at about 45 to the horizontal, the right or thread-engaging portions of the slub-catcher can be positioned at the appropriate angle of about 135 to the upwardly running thread T.

The right or thread-engaging portions of the blocks 40, 4| define between them a longitudinal bore 44 hereinafter further described, and the adjacent portions of the blocks above this bore may be regarded as upper blade portions, and the adjacent portions of the blocks below thi bore may be regarded as lower blade portions. The upper blade portions act to deflect the thread laterally,

to the left in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 to 7 upon en- I countering an enlargement either of short or long length. These upper blade portions define be tween them a slot 50 of appropriate width to allow the passage of normal thread, and to exclude the passage or at least to obstruct the ready passage of any substantial enlargement. In a typical instance in which the thread may be considered to have a diameter of .008 inch, the slot 50 may have a width of .010 inch. Thus any substantial enlargement, even including such enlargements as small nibs, will be prevented from passing readily and freely through the slot 50, but will receive a deflection toward the left. For instance a nib or knot N encountering the entrance to the slot 50 as shown in Fig. 6 is deflected to the left together with its thread as shown in Figs. 6 and 6. The upper blade portions to the left of slot 50 together define an enlarged exit 5! through which enlargements can leave the slubcatcher upwardly, Fig. 6 showing a deflected nib or knot N about to leave through the exit 5|. This exit 5! preferably has a width several times that of the diameter of the thread so as to be large enough to accommodate easily any enlargement which may be found in the thread, and may for example have a width of .062 inch.

The central bore 44 thus provides a, passage through which a short, unobjectionable enlargement such as a nib or knot can run along the entering side of slot 50, during deflection to the left, and reach the exit 5| which communicates therewith.

The lower blade portions of the slub-catcher, that is, those below the central bore 44, define an enlarged entrance portion or mouth 52, at the normal vertical path of the thread to the slot 50. Entrance portion or mouth 52 should be of a width adapted to permit at least the unobjectionable enlargements such as nibs to pass freely therethrough to the upper blades, and may for example have a width of .062 inch.

Both the slot 50 defined by the upper blade portions and the enlarged entrance portion 52 defined by the lower blade portions are open at their right ends, to receive thread as the slubcatcher is threaded, either or both of the blocks 40, 4| being suitably rounded to enable the slubcatcher to be automatically threaded as the thread becomes tensioned at the start of winding. The open end of slot 50 preferably extends well to the right of the normal path of the thread, to insure that the thread does not leave this slot.

It will be observed that the slot 50 formed by the upper blade portions will act to obstruct passage not only of the short. unobjectionable enlargements, but also of the longer slubs which should be detected, and that upon encountering either type of enlargement, the slot 50 will deflect the thread to the left.

In the region into which the thread is thus deflected means are provided for detecting the longer, objectionable type of enlargement. By spacing this detecting means in advance of the thread-deflecting means, as by the bore 44, the short, unobjectionable enlargements can avoid the detecting means and leave the slub-catcher. Longer objectionable enlargements however such as those that extend back from the thread-defiecting slot 50 into the detecting means, can be detected and dealt with accordingly.

To the left and inward of the enlarged mouth 52 the lower blade portions of the blocks 40, 4| define a slub-obstructing slot 53, laterally removed from the normal path of the thread, but adapted to receive a deflected thread. This slubobstructing slot 53 has a width adapted to permit free passage of a normal portion of thread when thread is deflected to the exit 5| as in Figs. 6 and 6, and also to exclude the passage or at least obstruct the ready passage of an enlargement such as a slub deflected into such slot 53 as in Figs. 7 and 7. The slub-obstructing slot 53 thus may have the same width as slot 50, that is, only slightly larger than the yarn diameter.

Figs. 6 and 6 show the slot 53 furnishing a ready passage for normal thread deflected from the normal thread path to the exit 5! when, as in Figs. 6 to 6, the enlargement is sufficiently short to avoid the slub-detecting slot 53. Slubs of sufficient length to encounter the slot 53 are however obstructed and detected by slot 53.

As indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the transition from the enlarged mouth 52 to the slot 53 involves shoulders 53 on each lower blade portion. By tapering these shoulders to a sharp edge at their lower right ends, slubs encountering these are caused to be readily penetrated, which in many instances immediately sufficiently holds the slub to cause the thread to break, with the slub at the position of Fig. 7 The shoulders 53 as viewed from the bottom in Fig. 3, are rounded to provide a gradual entrance for normal thread deflected into slot 53, so that normal thread is not caught by shoulders 53 when deflected into slot 53 as in Figs. 6 and 6.

If the thread is not broken as the slub enters the slot 53, the slub is at least excluded from passing freely through the slot with the ease of normal thread and is accordingly further deflected to the left by the inclination of slot 53. This further deflection, which occurs only When a sufficiently long enlargement is present, is utilized to carry the thread to a breaking or snagging means having greater certainty of action than slot 53. Enlargements in the nature of slubs are somewhat variable, and in some cases a slot of a width sufficient to pass a normal thread may allow a slub to pass by distorting and squeezing through such slot. However, by providing an additional breaking or snagging means which need not be required to permit passage of normal thread, the breakage of the thread can be rendered certain in all cases in which a slub is encountered.

As shown, slot portion 53 is provided with reduced width extension or slit 5% laterally removed from the path of thread deflected by slot 50 alone, that is, laterally removed from the path of thread shown in Fig. 6. Whereas the slot 53 should permit ready passage of normal thread,

5. and. in. a typical. case may have a width of .010 inch, the reduced width extension 54 is of less width than the diameter of the normal thread, and in the instance given may have a width of from .004 inch to .005 inch and may taper to an even narrower width.

Fig. 7 shows a slub S which has been deflected into the slot 53 and by distortion has managed to work its way partially through such slot without breakage, but has been deflected by the deflecting action of slot 53 into the reduced width extension 54. Since this extension 54 is of materially less width than the diameter of normal thread, either the slub or the thread will invariably break at this stage.

Reference has been made to the slots 5% and 53 as acting to obstruct the passage of an enlargement, recognizing that such obstruction may in the case of' certain slubs cause breakage of the thread, particularly at slot 53, but that in the event the slub can by distortion partially pass through the slot without immediate breakage, obstruction by the slot will be sufficient to deflect the slub laterally for further treatment, which will cause breakage. It is thus an advantage that the spacing of the blade portions that permit passage of the normal thread does not need to be within such narrow tolerances as would be required if it were necessary to rely upon them invariably to cause breakage of the thread by mere detention of the slub by the blades, as is attempted in use of many forms of slub-catchers.

The bore 44 is adapted to perform several functions. The bore 44 provides a passage through which deflected enlargements can move as in Figs. 6 to 6. The bore id also serves the purpose of providing the desired distance between the upper thread-deflecting slot 56 and the lower slub-detecting slot 53, so as to permit distinguishing between short and long enlargements. in addition, the bore 44 is adapted to facilitate the clearing of the slub-catcher, as will now be de-- scribed.

As shown in Fig. 5, a cylindrical plunger (ill which approximately fits the bore in and carries a tubular casing Ell is normally held by a compression spring Bl in the retracted position shown. By forcing the plunger fit inwardly against the action of the spring, the lower right end portion of the plunger is caused to traverse the bore 44 to the lower right extremity of the blocks 50, M, thus wiping the blocks clear of waste, including any remnants of broken thread or slubs, adjacent to the thread-deflecting slot 50, the exit 5|, the entrance 52, the shoulders 53 and slub-detecting slot 53 and the reduced width extension. 54. I

In the use of the present slub-catcher in. a traveling spindle winding machine, as shown, with each winding unit carrying one of the slubcatchers, a stationary cam t5 diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1 may be provided to depress each plunger Ed of. each slub-catcher suoces sion, preferably at a place Where the winding units are inactive, thus clearing and cleaning each slub-catcher each time the cam $5 is encountered. If desired, an air blast or other means may be employed to remove waste material wiped from. the blocks by the plunger id.

viclaimx.

l. A slub-catcher including slat-defining por. tions. defining. a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough oi the normal thread. and having its entering side inclined to the path of the thread so that upon encountering an enlargement such enlargement and: the thread. are. deflected laterally; and. further: slotedefining por tions. located in advance. of:said.first slot and defining: a second. slot. also hayingiits. entering side inclined to the. path of: the thread, said second slot beingv in position to. receive thread so defiected by'the. first slot andlikewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the nor" mal. thread, and having a reduced-width extension. extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as deflected by said first slot alone, said reduced width extension being in position to receive thread deflected thereinto. by an enlargement encountering said second. slot, and having a portion of. materially narrower widthv than either. said first or second slots, to break the thread.

2. A slub-catcher includingslot-defming portions defining a first slot. of a. width. to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and having; its. entering side inclined to the path of the thread so that uponqencounter'ing an. en largement such enlargement. and the thread are deflected laterally; and. further slot-defining portions located in advance of saidv first slot and de lining a second slot also having its entering side inclined to. the path of. the thread, said second slot being in position to receive threadv so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread, and having, a reduced-width exten sion extending laterally beyond the. path of the thread as deflected by said. first. slot alone, said reduced-width extension being. in. position. to. receive thread deflected thereintoby an enlargement encountering said second slot, and havins a. tapered, portion narrowing in the direction of deflection of the thread and of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

3. A. slub-catcher including slot-defining portions defining a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and having its. entering side inclined to the path of the thread so that upon encountering an enlargement such enlargement and the: thread are deflected laterally; and furtherslot-defining portions located in advance of said first slot and defining a second slot also having its entering side inclined to the path of the thread, said second slot being in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of. a width to permit passage therethroug'h of the normal thread, a mouth portion of said second slot adjacent to the normal path of thread travel being substantially wider than the first slot, and said. mouth. portion narrowing into the portion of the second. slot into which thread is deflected by the. first slot, and said second slot having a reduced-width extension extending laterally beyond. the path. of the thread as deflected by said first slot alone, said. reduced-width extension being in position to receive thread deflect-edthereinto by an enlargement encountering said second slot, and having a tapered portion narrowing in the direction of deflection of the thread and of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

4. A slub-catcher including slot-defining partions. defining a first. slot of a width to. permit passage th-erethr-ough of the. normal thread and having its entering side. inclined to the. path of the thread so that upon. encountering an enlargement such enlargement and the thread are deflected laterally, said slot-defining portions also providing an enlarged exit for the first slot through which a laterally deflected enlargement can leave said first slot; and further slot-defining portions located in advance of said first slot and defining a second slot also having its entering sdie inclined to the path of the thread, said second slot being in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread, and having a reduced-width extension extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as deflected by said first slot to said exit for the first slot, said reduced width extension being in position to receive thread deflected thereinto by an enlargement encountering said second slot, and having a portion of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

5. A slub-catcher including blade portions defining a first slot of a'width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread, said blade portions at their entering side being inclined to the path of the thread so that upon encountering an enlargement such enlargement and the thread are deflected laterally, said slot-defining portions also providing an enlarged exit for the first slotthrough which a laterally deflected enlargement can leave said first slot; further blade portions located in advance of said first slot and defining a second slot, said further blade portions also having their entering side inclined to the path of the thread, and said second slot being in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread, and

having a reduced-width extension extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as deflectedby said first slot to said exit for the first slot, said reduced width extension being in position to receive thread deflected thereinto by an enl-argement encountering said second slot, and

having a portion of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread, and a wiper member movable in a space between the blade portions to clean said blade portions adjacent to said first slot, said exit, said second slot and said reduced-width extension.

6. A slub-catcher including two opposed blocks between which the thread runs, the opposed spaced surface portions of the two blocks coopcrating adjacent to the exit side of the slubcatcher to form an inclined first slot of a width to obstruct passage of a slub and permit passage of the normal thread, and an enlarged exit from said first slot, opposed surface portions of the two blocks cooperating adjacent to the entrance side of the slub-catcher to form an inclined second slot spaced in advance of the first slot and of a width to obstruct passage of a slub and permit passage of the normal thread, said two opposed blocks further defining an enlarged bore between the first and second slots, and the slub-catcher including a wiper member movable through said bore to clear the slub-catcher of waste.

7. A slub-catcher including opposed members having opposed spaced faces, said faces being shaped to provide a slot at the entering face of the slub-catcherand a further slot adjacent to the exit face of the slub-catcher and aninterior hole connecting said slots, the slot at the entering face having an enlarged portion adapted to permit the passage of an enlargement in the thread into contact with the inner edge of the 8 slot adjacent to the exit face, said members being inclined to the normal path of the thread so that an enlargement encountered by said slot adjacent to the exit face is deflected therealong so that in the event the enlargement is a slub of sufficient length said enlargement is detained by the slot at the entering face, and a plunger movable through said interior hole to clear the slubcatcher of waste, the said plunger approximately fitting said interior hole.

8. A slub catcher including opposed members between which the thread runs, said members being recessed at their opposing faces to form an interior passage extending longitudinally of said members and demarking the opposing faces of each of said members into slot-defining portions toward the entrance and exit sides of said members, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being separated from said slotdefining portions toward the exit side by said interior passage, said slot-defining portions toward the exit side defining between them a first slot of a Width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel so as to deflect the thread upon the occurrence of an enlargement, and an enlarged exit for such slot laterally removed from the normal path of travel of the thread, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side defining a second slot in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel, and having a reduced-width extensicn extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as deflected by said first slot alone, said reduced-width extension being in position to receive thread deflected thereinto by an enlargement encountering said second slot, and having a portion of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

9. A slub catcher including members having opposed fiat surface portions extending through a part of their lengths and means for holding said members in abutting relation at said fiat surface portions, said members having other opposed surface portions spaced apart to admit thread between said members, the spaced-apart portions of said members forming an opposed pair of slot-defining portions toward the entrance side and an opposed pair of slot-defining portions toward the exit side of said members, and a longitudinally extending interior passage between said pairs of slot-defining portions, said slotclefining portions toward the exit side defining between them a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel so as to deflect the thread upon the occurrence of an enlargement, and an enlarged exit for such slot laterally removed from the normal path of travel of the thread, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side defining a second slot in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel, and having a reduced-width extension extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as de flected by said first slot alone, saidreduced-width extension being in position to receive thread defiected thereinto by an enlargement encountering said second slot, and having a portion of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

10. A slub catcher including opposed members between which the thread runs, said members being recessed at their opposing faces to form an interior passage extending longitudinally of said members and demarking the opposing faces of each of said members into slot-defining portion toward the entrance and exit sides of said members. said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being separated from said slot-defining portions toward the exit side by said interior passage, said slot-defining portions toward the exit side defining between them a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel so as to deflect the thread upon the occurrence of an enlargement, and an enlarged exit for such slot laterally removed from the normal path of travel of the thread, the front edges of slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being spaced apart, at the line of travel of thread as deflected to said enlarged exit by said first slot alone, by a width substantially the same as the width of said first slot at the normal path of travel of the thread, thus defining a second slot also adapted to permit passage therethrough of normal thread, said second slot being inclined to the normal direction of thread travel and having a reduced-width extension extending laterally beyond said line of travel of a thread as deflected by said first slot alone.

11. A slub catcher including opposed members between which the thread runs, said members being recessed at their opposing faces to form an interior passage extending longitudinally of said members and demarking the opposing faces of each of said members into slot-defining portions toward the entrance and exit sides of said members, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being separated from said slot-defining portions toward the exit side by said interior passage, said slot-defining portions toward the exit side defining between them a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel so as to deflect the thread upon the occurrence of an enlargement, and an enlarged exit for such slot laterally removed from the normal path of travel of the thread, the front edges of said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being spaced apart, at the line of travel of thread as deflected to said enlarged exit by said first slot alone, by a width substantially the same as the width of said first slot at the normal path of travel of the thread, thus defining a second slot also adapted to permit passage therethrough of normal thread, said second slot being inclined to the normal direction of thread travel and having a reduced-width extension at which said front edges of said slotdefining portions approach each other to form a tapered slit extending laterally beyond said line of travel of a thread as deflected by said first slot alone.

12. A slub catcher including two opposed members between which the thread runs, the two members being recessed at their opposingfaces to form an interior passage extending" longitudinally of said members and demarking the opposing faces of each of said members into slotdefining portions toward the entrance and exit sides of said members, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side being separatedlfrom said slot-defining portions toward the exit side by said interior passage, said slot-defining portions toward the exit side defining between them a first slot of a width to permit passage therethrough of the normal thread and inclined to the normal direction of thread travel so as to deflect the thread upon the occurrence of an en largement, and an enlarged exit for such slot laterally removed from the normal path of travel of the thread, said slot-defining portions toward the entrance side defining an enlarged mouth in position to receive thread running in its normal path of travel and a second slot connected to said mouth in position to receive thread so deflected by the first slot and likewise being of a width to permit passage therethrough of the noraml thread, there being a transition from the width of said mouth to the width of said second slot affording a gradual entrance for deflected normal thread into said second slot being inclined to the normal direction of thread travel and said second slot having a reducedwidth extension extending laterally beyond the path of the thread as deflected by said first slot alone, said reduced-width extension being in position to receive thread deflected thereinto by an enlargement encountering said second slot, and having a portion of materially narrower width than either said first or second slots, to break the thread.

SAMUEL L. ABBOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,565,851 Hasbrouck Dec. 15, 1925 1,749,511 Sands Mar. 4, 1930 2,257,125 Plourde Sept. 30, 1941 2,434,091 Arrington Jan. 6, 1948 2,522,751 D011 Sept. 19, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 381,638 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1932 

